DSC Training 11 – 02 – 2025
This time we go back to the 1980’s, when there were quite a few new, experimental and sharper
treatments of the Caro-Kann Main Line being born.
Van der Wiel – Lobron, Sarajevo 1984. B19
- e4 c6. 2. d4 d5. 3. Nd2 de4. 4. Nxe4 Bf5. 5. Ng3 Bg6. 6. h4 h6. 7. Nf3 Nd7. 8. h5 Bh7. 9. Bd3
Bxd3. 10. Qxd3 e6. 11. Bd2 Ngf6. 12. 0-0-0 [Quite regular play so far, but that is about to change.]
12…Be7. [Instead of the classical Qd8-c7 and 0-0-0 Black keeps the options of castling short or not at
all.] 13. Qe2 [I like this move, getting ready to tackle the themes in the centre, better than the slowish - Ne4 or 13. Kb1 . On the latter, 13…a5 (another Lobron move) was considered interesting and
modernistic back then.] 13…Rc8. * DIAGRAM * [This was already a surprise to me, counting on
13…0-0 or …a5.] EXERCISE 1: 13…Rc8 may not be the best move, but Black has certain ideas with
it. Determine those, then decide on your 14th move and after the logical reply, find out what White’s
TWO best 15th moves are. That requires some sharp calculations! - Ne5 [Makes it harder for Black to liberate his game.] 14…c5. [According to plan, but Black faces
two potential problems after this. In a later game Lobron employed 14…b5 to beat a weaker player, but
it doesn’t look impressive to me. 15. f4 is already a good aggressive option here.] 15. dc5 [This is one
of the ways to trouble Black. The other one is: not 15. Nxd7 Qxd7. 16. dc5 Qa4! with good active play
for Black, but 15. Rhe1!? Now: A) 15…Nxe5. 16. de5 Nd7. 17. Qg4 is just bad; B) 15…cd4. 16. Nxf7!
Kxf7. 17. Qxe6+ Kf8. 18. Nf5 Bc5 (18…Nc5. 19. Qxe7+ Qxe7. 20. Rxe7 and White wins; on 18…Ng8
White should not be tempted by 19. Ba5? Qxa5. 20. Nxe7 Qg5+!, but 19. Nd6! is a nice win, even
stronger than 19. Nxe7 Nxe7. 20. Bb4). 19. Nh4! g5. 20. hg6 e.p. Qe7 (or 20…Qe8. 21. Qb3!). 21.
Qxe7 Bxe7. 22. Nf5 loses for Black; therefore C is necessary: 15…0-0. 16. Ng6! Re8. 17. Nxe7+ Qxe7
(not 16…Rxe7? 18. Nf5). 18. d5! as in Y. Grünfeld – Lobron, New York 1986. Apart from 18…Nxd5. 19.
Bxh6 Black can also consider 18…Qd6!? This is only very slightly better for White, I believe. Now back
to the game.] 15…Nxe5. [15…Rxc5?! 16. Nxd7 Nxd7. 17. Ne4 is not what Black aimed for. However,
now after 16. Qxe5?! Rxc5 he can be happy with his active solution. So:] 16. Bxh6! [I hope you found
this during the exercise, as well as the lines with 15. Rhe1 . Only easy, when you already knew all the
theory!] Question: now, what will it be for Black: 16…Qa5 or 16…Ned7 ?
16…Qa5(!) [It is a close call. This move is more attractive, but only the right choice if Black finds all the
best follow-ups. Let’s analyse 16…Ned7. 17. Bxg7 and now: A) 17…Rg8. 18. h6 Bf8 (otherwise it’s
hard to stop h6-h7). 19. Nf5 (in my Informator analysis of 1984 I gave 19. Rxd7(?) which is strong after
19…Kxd7, but apparently missing 19…Nxd7. 20. h7 Qg5+! and 21…Qxg7, favouring Black. 19. Ne4!?
might be more testing) 19…Rxc5. 20. Nd6+ Bxd6. 21. Rxd6 Qc7. 22. Rhd1 . Black is almost paralysed
and looks lost, for instance 22…Ke7. 23. h7! Rgc8. 24. c3 etc.; B) 17…Rh7 (more suitable to stop the
h-pawn, but the rook remains vulnerable). 18. h6 Qa5 (now 18…Bf8 would fail to 19. Bxf6! Qxf6. 20.
Rxd7 Kxd7. 21. Qd3+). with a choice: B1) 19. Rxd7!? Nxd7 (even 19…Kxd7. 20. Qd3+ Nd5. 21. Qxh7
Qxa2 is not entirely clear). 20. Qe4 when in my Informant analysis I gave only 20…f5. 21. Qxe6 Qxc5. - c3 with great compensation for White, but failed to mention (or notice! Poor work, even now I am
analysing without a computer – the same as I always ask from you, reader -) 20…Nf6. 21. Bxf6 Bxf6. - Qxh7 Bxb2+! which promises Black a draw, e.g. 23. Kxb2 Qb4+. 24. Kc1 Qf4+! etc.; B2) 19. Kb1
Rxc5! (19…Nxc5. 20. Nf5!? or Nh5 could mean big trouble for Black) 20. Ne4 Rd5 (White would be
happy to play 20…Re5. 21. Nxf6+ or 20…Rb5. 21. c4 . Now after 20…Rd5. 21. c4(?) there would be
21…Rxd1+. 22. Rxd1 Nxe4. 23. Qxe4 Qf5.) 21. g4! with excellent chances for White. It is very hard to
defend Black’s position.] 17. Bxg7 Rxc5! [The first thing that Black had to do right. 17…Qxa2. 18.
Qxe5 Ng4. 19. Qf4! doesn’t quite work for Black and even 18. Qb5+ (18…Rc6. 19. Qxb7) looks very
strong here; on 17…Rh7 the alert 18. Bxf6!? Bxf6. 19. Ne4 (but not 19. f4 – hoping for 19…Nc6. 20.
Qd3! – Qxa2. 20. Ne4 – guess where this was advocated! – because of the cunning 20…Nc4! and
suddenly Black is doing fine) 19…Be7. 20. Nd6+ Bxd6. 21. cd6 is advantageous for White, e.g.
21…Rc6 (21…Kd7? 22. Qe4). 22. f4! Nd7 (not 22…Nc4. 23. d7+ Kd8. 24. Qg4!). 23. a3 and the
dangerous centre and kingside pawns will pull the most weight.] * DIAGRAM * EXERCISE 2: Both
players are trying to attack, as befits 24-year olds. Now, does White need to do something for his
defence or not? The good news: this is a relatively short exercise. - a3! [Obviously White cannot ignore Black’s play: after 18. Bxh8? Qxa2 the main threat Ne5-c4
(often also Qa2-a1+) is just too strong, for instance 19. Rd4 Qa1+. 20. Kd2 Qxb2 or 19. Bxf6 Bxf6. 20.
Ne4 Bg5+!? 21. Nxg5 Nc4 and the attack can’t be properly stopped. Two also not too serious moves
are: A) 18. Bxf6 Bxf6. 19. Ne4 Qxa2(!) 20. Nxf6+ Ke7, to Black’s advantage; B) 18. Ne4 Nxe4. 19.
Qxe4 . If nothing else appeals, Black can opt for 19…f5 and 20…Rh7. More important is to find out why - Kb1 isn’t as good as the text move. Black responds with 18…Nc4 and then has an additional idea:
- Bxh8 Na3+! 20. ba3 (20. Kc1!?) Rb5+ and the attack guarantees him at least a draw. Another
possibility becomes very tricky: 19. Ne4 (instead of Bxh8) Nxe4. 20. Qxe4 . Here it is very tempting to
go 20…Rcxh5. 21. Rxh5 (21. Qxc4?! Rxh1. 22. Qc8+ Qd8! wins for Black) Qxh5 but White has 22.
Qd4! and suddenly he is much better. Instead Black needs to play 20…Nd2+. 21. Rxd2 Qxd2. 22.
Bxh8 Rxh5! Only with 23. g4! White can now avert defeat, but Black will be comfortably equal at least.
From these variations we learn that White’s king is better on c1 than b1, hence 18. a3] 18…Nc4.
[Trying to save Rh8 still causes problems: 18…Rh7 (or 18…Rg8. 19. h6!). 19. Bxf6 Bxf6. 20. Ne4 Bh8. - Nxc5 Qxc5. Now 22. Qe4?! f5 would be highly unclear, but 22. Rh4! gives White a strong
initiative.] 19. Qf3(!) [This time 19. Bxh8 runs into …Nxb2! with at least sufficient attack (also after 20.
Bxf6 Nxd1!?). 19. Ne4 is a bit more testing. Probably the only good reaction is 19…Nxe4. 20. Qxe4
Nxa3! but then Black is fine (21. ba3 Rhxh5). Attacking Nf6 and possibly opening up the h8-a1
diagonal may help White’s defence.] * DIAGRAM * So yes, 16…Qa5 was attractive. White had to find
some excellent moves. But Black, too, has to take a final hurdle. EXERCISE 3: How should Black
play in order to prolong a good fight with close to equal chances? This is a crucial moment and the
toughest exercise, so dig really deep!
19…Nd5?! [Lobron goes wrong and won’t get a chance to undo that anymore. What else could Black
try? A) 19…Nxb2?! 20. Kxb2 Nd5. 21. Rxd5! (not 21. Bxh8? Rb5+) Rxd5. 22. Bxh8 and Black has
insufficient attack; B) 19…Nxa3!? and now: B1) The by now infamous Informator analysis gives only - Qxa3 Rxc2+. 21. Kxc2 Bxa3. 22. Bxf6 and White wins. Not true, as Black has 22…0-0! That is still
interesting after 23. Rh4 (rather than 23. ba3 Rc8+. 24. Kb1 e5!), but I think White should prefer 22.
Bxh8 (instead of Bxf6). After that it is unlikely that a perpetual check scenario will materialise, but
22…Qc5+. 23. Kb1 Bxb2! may come close; B2) 20. ba3(!) Rc3. 21. Qxb7 (better than 21. Rd3 Bxa3+. - Kd2 Rxd3++. 23. Kxd3 Qb5+!) Bxa3+. 22. Kb1 Rc5 (or 22…Rc4. 23. Qb8+ Ke7. 24. Bxf6+ Kxf6.
- Qxh8+ Ke7. 26. Nf5+! and White wins). 23. Qb8+ Ke7. 24. Qd6+ Ke8. 25. Qd8+! and Black can
resign. Therefore he may try to improve with 20…Nd5 (in lieu of …Rc3). There follows: 21. Rd3! (21.
Bxh8 Bg5+) Rb5! 22. Ne4 (Be7-g5+ must be stopped and this looks better than 22. Rb3) Rh7 (on
22…f5, both 23. Bxh8 and 23. Nd2 are strong). 23. h6 (23. Nf6+!?) Qb6. 24. Rb3 Bxa3+. 25. Kb1 and
surely White must be close to winning; C) 19…Qa4! (to target c2 is Black’s best bet) 20. Rd4! (20. Rh4
Nd5! is a lesser version – but not 20…Nxa3 21. Rd8+! – and after 20. Qb3 Qxb3. 21. cb3 Nb6+
(21…Ne3+!). 22. Kb1 Rhxh5! Black is slightly better; finally, Lucien’s 20. Bxf6 Nxa3 21. Kd2 runs into
21…Rd5+!) With 20. Rd4 White pins Nc4 but unfortunately closes the diagonal for Bg7 to b2. Now we
split up the analysis: C1) 20…e5?! 21. Bxf6 ed4. 22. Qe4! Ne5. 23. Bxe5 (23. Bxh8 f6 ((intending Rc5-
c4 and d4-d3)). 24. f4 is also very good) 23…Bg5+. 24. f4 0-0 (with 25. fg5 Rfc8). 25. h6! and White
wins; C2) 20…Qb5! 21. b4 (even 21. b3 Nxa3. 22. Bxf6 cannot be dismissed outright, but it looks very
strange and after 22…Rxc2+. 23. Kd1 Rc3(!) 24. Qxc3 Bxf6 Black should have enough counterpunch)
and there is another choice: * Analysis Diagram * C2x) 21…a5 (Black is not forced to move his Rc5,
but most moves with another piece don’t make much sense, e.g. 21…Nd5. 22. Ne4 Nxb4. 23. ab4
Qxb4. 24. Qb3 and White is winning). 22. Bxf6 Nxa3 (or 22…ab4. 23. Rhd1!). 23. Qxa3 Bxf6. 24. Ne4!
can’t be repaired for Black; C2y) 21…Rd5. 22. Rxc4! (only this move is convincing, see: 22. Bxf6
Rxd4. 23. Bxd4 Qg5+! 24. Be3 Qe5 with serious attacking chances for Black, or 22. Rxd5 Nxd5. 23.
Bxh8 Bg5+. 24. Kd1 which could be quite dangerous (24…Qd7!?)) 22… Qxc4. 23. Bxh8 Qa2. 24. Qc3
and Black won’t find realistic compensation; C2z) 21…Rhxh5! (not 21…Rcxh5? 22. Bxh8) This was
actually played in the only other game that went like this (with 16. Bxh6! etc.), Iotov – R. Dimitrov,
Bulgarian League 2014 (30 years later!). It continued: 22. Nxh5 Rxh5. 23. Rxh5 Nxh5. 24. Rxc4 Qxc4
(24…Nxg7!? 25. Rc7 is more risky). 25. Qxh5 Qf1+. 26. Kb2 Qxg2. 27. Qb5+ Qc6 with an ending, that
Black drew without difficulty. Can White do better? Maybe. I prefer 22. Bxf6 (over 22. Nxh5) Rxh1+. - Nxh1 Rd5 (23…Rf5?! runs into 24. Qg3 . This could be missed over the board.). 24. Rxd5 Qxd5.
- Qxd5 ed5. 26. Bxe7 Kxe7. 27. a4 White is a pawn up, but can he really hope for anything with
such inferior pieces? I think he can. Two examples: 1) 27…d4. 28. Ng3 Ke6. 29. Ne4! or 2) 27…Ke6. - Ng3 Ke5. 29. c3!, in both cases there is nothing easy about it for Black. Shall we say ‘clearly
slightly better’ for White, then? Another option was 26. Bb2 instead of Bxe7.] 20. Bxh8 Rb5.
[Alternatively, 20…f6 wouldn’t do after 21. Ne4 Nxb2 (21…Rb5. 22. Nxf6+ Nxf6. 23. Bxf6 Rf5. 24. Qc3). - Nxc5 Nxd1. 23. Nb3! Qxa3+. 24. Kd1 Qb2. 25. Rh4! White controls square b4 and reaches safety
after 25…Nc3+. 26. Kd2 Nb1+. 27. Ke1! Qxc2. 28. Qd1 etc. A better attempt were 20…Bg5+. 21. Kb1
Rb5 (or 21…f6. 22. Rxd5! Rxd5. 23. Qe2 and White is much better). 22. Rxd5! ed5 (22…Nxa3+? 23.
Qxa3 Qxa3. 24. Rxb5). 23. Ka2 f6. 24. Rb1 and White has the upper hand.] Question: most of the
hard work has been done, but don’t lean back too early. How would you continue here as White? - Qg4! [Something had to be done about the big threat 21…Bg5+ and there are 3 ways. A) 21.
Ne4?! is the wrong one: 21…f5! 22. Nd2 (22. Rxd5 fe4. 23. Rxb5 Qd2+. 24. Kb1 ef3 loses material)
Nxa3 (!, stronger than 22… Bg5. 23. Qe2) and now 23…Nb4 looks extremely dangerous. 23. h6 may
stop it, but then probably 23…Nf4 is very strong (or else 23…Nxc2); B) 21. Rxd5!? ed5 (21…Rxd5. 22.
Bc3!, controlling d2 and making way for the h-pawn, must be pretty hopeless for Black, but now it
becomes complicated). 22. Qe2 and now: B1) 22…Kd8?! 23. Re1 Bg5+ (23…Qxa3. 24. Qxe7+! Qxe7.
- Rxe7 Kxe7. 26. h6 already wins for White). 24. Kd1 Rxb2. 25. Qe8+ Kc7. 26. Qxf7+ Kc6. 27. Re6+
Nd6 (27…Kb5. 28. Qd7+ or 27…Kc5. 28. Ne4+!). 28. Rxd6+ Kxd6. 29. Qg6+ and White wins; B2)
22…Kd7!? If White now operates in the same way: 23. Re1 Bg5+. 24. Kd1 Nxb2+! 25. Bxb2 Rxb2. 26.
Qe8+ Kd6. 27. Nf5+ Kc5, then nothing is clear anymore (28. Qf8+ Kb5! or 28. Qc8+ Kb6; probably
best is 29. Ke2). However, White can opt for 23. Qg4+! Kc7/Kc6. 24. Bc3 when Black doesn’t have
enough. So 21. Rxd5 was also good. The text, that takes away the g5 square and attacks something,
is clearest, though.] 21…Nxa3. [21…Nxb2 is no improvement. After 22. Rxd5! Rxd5 (or 22…ed5. 23.
Qc8+). 23. Qg8+ Kd7. 24. Bxb2 Bxa3. 25. Qxf7+ White wins easily.] 22. Rd3! [Good zonal defence on
the queenside and preparation for a king march, when necessary.] 22…f6. [A desperate attempt, since
22…Nxc2. 23. Rxd5! and a subsequent Kxc2 will be quite safe for White.] 23. ba3?! [Actually 23. Qxe6
is even more convincing. I don’t remember what spooked me. Maybe I saw some complications after
23…Rxb2 (23…Nc4. 24. Qc8+). 24. Qg8+ Bf8. 25. Qg6+ Kd7 (when 26. Qg4+! is simplest) or maybe I
had complete faith in the text move.] 23…Bxa3+. 24. Kd1 Nc3+. * DIAGRAM * Question: Yes, White
is already a rook up. But what is his best continuation here? Just a small question. - Kd2(!) [25. Rxc3 (and even 25. Ke1!?) is also good, but after 25…Qxc3 White should not select: A)
- Qg6+, when both 26…Ke7 and 26…Kd7(!) are still playable; B) 26. Qxe6+! Be7. 27. Ne4?! This
works after 27…Rb1+. 28. Ke2 Qxc2+. 29. Kf3 and a forward escape with the king, but Black has
better: 27…Qd4+! 28. Ke2 Re5 and the outcome is not yet clear; C) 26. Qxe6+ Be7. 27. Ne2! is a
correct defence. Black will soon run out of ideas after 27…Rb1+. 28. Nc1 or 27…Qa1+. 28. Kd2 Qa5+
(28…Qxh1. 29. Bxf6). 29. Nc3 . So in fact all 25th moves are good enough.] 25…Nb1+. [Anything else
is more hopeless.] 26. Ke2 Re5+. An even smaller final Question: what is White’s safest move? - Kf3 [This was a little joke, although a serious joker might say you had only a 40% chance! Besides
the text, you could choose 27. Ne4 which also wins, but looks a little more complicated after
27…Nc3+. However, don’t go for: A) 27. Re3? (27. Kf1?? allows mate in one) Qd2+! 28. Kf3 Qd5+
followed by 29…Nd2+ or 29. Kf4 Bd6!; B) 27. Kd1?? Qd2+! 28. Rxd2 Nc3 mate. What a great finish
that would be!] 27…Nd2+. 28. Rxd2 Qxd2. 29. Qg6+! Kd7. [Or 29…Ke7. 30. Qxf6+] 30. Qd3+
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